Walker was either born Autry DeWalt II or re-christened such following an earlier name, Oscar G. Mixon, on June 14, 1931. Although he mastered the crawl and the toddle, "Junior Walker" got that moniker not from frequent roaming but from his father, Roosevelt Walker. Still, after his family moved from Blytheville, Arkansas to South Bend, Indiana, people started noticing his special rhythms. In his new home, he could pursue his lifelong specialty: music. With his trusty tenor saxophone, Junior Walker blew through high school and nearby R&B and jazz clubs with the Jumping Jacks.
Yet he wasn't so focused on a straight-ahead path that he couldn't stop and appreciate others' talents, including those of organist Fred Patton and, later, blues guitarist Willie Woods.
After the rotating door of sidemen got its first spin, Junior Walker took the lead and served as the axis of what would become his signature band.
Having gigged in upper Indiana and lower Michigan, Walker settled down in the latter state. Late-1950s Battle Creek was the birthplace of what would officially be known as Jr. Walker and the All Stars: Woods, organist Vic Thomas, and Tony Washington on drums.
Here comes the inevitable Hitsville connection! Singer Johnny Bristol watched Jr. Walker and the All Stars during an El Grotto club performance. After wiping the sizzling grease off his brow, he told pal Harvey Fuqua about the band.
In 1961, Harvey the label hired the squealing saxophonist and his rip-roaring rhythm section. Records like "Cleo's Mood" established their promise before Motown acquired Harvey's roster and, in 1964, the band, which still featured Woods, Thomas, and Washington with Walker.
Jack Douglas, then James Graves, later took Washington's drum seat. It was the 1965 lineup of Walker, Thomas, Graves, and Woods that rode "Shotgun" to the top of the charts.
If Junior Walker had thought he could foresee his professional course, then Motown had found a way to catch him off guard. A vocalist's no-show for "Shotgun" had forced horn man Walker to lay the vocal track. To his bewilderment, Motown had kept it.
Whether he wanted it or not, the country would know him as singer-saxophonist Junior Walker.
Nonetheless, soul-selling was a good thing for Jr. Walker and the All Stars. They stuck to their forte--R&B instrumentals--and made some noise with originals like "Shake and Fingerpop" as well as in-house covers like "How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You)." (For the band's mainly Motown discography, click here.) Graves went lickety-split in '66. Hits like "(I'm a) Road Runner" kept the group running on high-octane fuel. After a series of boogie-able party tunes, it was, perhaps, time to dribble syrup into the frying pan.
Doesn't sound appealing? Junior Walker wasn't enthused about the ballad "What Does It Take (to Win Your Love)" himself. Though he'd continued to insert vocals on his records, he didn't want to really, you know, carry a sweet tune!
Producers Bristol and Fuqua prevailed in the studio, as did Jr. Walker and the All Stars on the charts. As far as Top 5ers went, that 1969 song and their first Motown hit were poles apart. Pieces like "Gotta Hold on to This Feeling" and "Hip City, Pt. 1" and "Pt. 2" maintained their stylistic seesaw.
The band had gotten a late start at Motown compared to other acts. But that didn't delay its fading Pop-ularity in the 1970s. Thankfully, the R&B market hadn't shrugged it off. And regardless of commercial clout, Jr. Walker and the All Stars' raucous soul influenced many grateful funkmeisters that decade.
In the mid-to-late '70s, Junior Walker tried his horn at solo works with producer Brian Holland (Hot Shot), and then on Norman Whitfield's self-named label (Back Street Boogie). Still, by 1981, the world had found other musical idols.
That year heralded another unexpected turn. A band he didn't know from a genre he hadn't tried convinced him to guest-play on one of its songs. So, after one listen and with one take, he did. That improvised solo, during the refrain of Foreigner's "Urgent," was so outstanding that it brought Walker a new concert standard as well as a nice fee. As if he really did Blow the House Down at Motown, that 1983 album signified the end of Junior Walker's recording days.
So what did he do for the next decade? What he did second-best (if singing didn't count): He walked, or rather, roamed the globe, touring with his All Stars or his own junior, Autry DeWalt III, on drums.
Those were the '80s and '90s. Part of the latter, anyway: Cancer struck Junior Walker in 1993. Reportedly, as time went on, he had trouble with not only performing, but also walking.
On November 23, 1995, the disease extinguished the All Stars' leading light.
Walker's side men have kept the party going. Death has taken key members, like James Graves as early as 1967, and Willie Woods 30 years later from lung cancer.
But surviving Motown originals Thomas and Washington and musicians like saxophonist Kenny Walker and percussionist Acklee King have known not to give it up as part of "Jr Walkers Allstar Band" (note the official, legal name without some punctuation).
The singing--of praises--has continued with the group's 2002 induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame for "Shotgun."
Silence is especially disturbing if the music that once filled it was so lively. So go ahead, pop in and turn up that Jr. Walker and the All Stars record. No surprises, no new twists. Just some of the most pleasurably blistering foot-stompers on this end of the soul griddle.
(http://www.soullyoldies.com/jr-walker-and-the-all-stars.html)
Gotta Hold On To This Feeling
Jr. Walker & The All Stars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is a day without your loving baby
One look, one look and well seem as one
That's how easy we communicate
A single match can make a fire begin
A single kiss and I'm warm within girl
Gotta hold on to this feeling
Gotta hold on to this feeling
Gotta hold on to this feeling we got
Gonna blow, blow for ya
'Cause I love, love, love, ya now
Your love, your love got a hold on me now
Don't change, don't change and turn cold on me, girl
No how it's got a signed guarantee
Your warranty depends on me
If love, if love could sign a dotted line
It would surely fine your name next to mine
To be sure we keep the love we got
Just keep them kisses comin'
It ain't hard, girl
Gotta hold on to this feeling
Gotta hold on to this feeling we got now
Gotta hold on to this feeling
Gotta hold on to this feeling we got now
Gotta blow, blow, blow for ya
'Cause I love, love, love ya now
The lyrics of Jr. Walker & The All Stars's song "Gotta Hold On To This Feeling" communicate the theme of the power of love and the importance of maintaining a strong connection with your partner. The opening lines suggest that without the warmth and presence of a lover, life is incomplete and without light. The following lines highlight the ease of communication between two lovers and how something as simple as a match or a single kiss can ignite a fire within.
In the chorus, the singer implores his lover to hold on to the feeling they share and not let it go, as it is something special and rare. He promises to fight for their love and even blow for her, indicating his commitment to the relationship. The following verses emphasize the importance of not taking each other for granted and maintaining the warmth and intimacy they share.
Overall, the lyrics suggest that love is a powerful force that can make life worthwhile, and it's essential to cherish and hold on to that feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
The day without the shining sun
Without your love, life is colorless and dull, like a day without sun.
Is a day without your loving baby
Without the affection of your lover, a day is incomplete and unfulfilling.
One look, one look and well seem as one
Our connection is so strong that merely looking into each other's eyes brings us together as one.
That's how easy we communicate
We have an effortless and intuitive way of communicating with each other.
A single match can make a fire begin
Just as a small spark can ignite a fire, a single gesture from my lover can light up my heart.
A single kiss and I'm warm within girl
One kiss from my beloved can fill me with warmth and happiness.
Gotta hold on to this feeling
I must cherish and preserve this beautiful feeling of love that we share.
Gotta hold on to this feeling we got
We must work to maintain this deep connection and strong emotional bond that we have.
Gonna blow, blow for ya
I will do whatever it takes to make my lover happy and keep our love strong.
'Cause I love, love, love, ya now
I am deeply in love with my partner and am committed to them now and forever.
Your love, your love got a hold on me now
My lover's affection and devotion has completely captured my heart and soul.
Don't change, don't change and turn cold on me, girl
I hope that my lover never loses their warmth and affection towards me.
No how it's got a signed guarantee
Our love is secured and backed by an unbreakable promise.
Your warranty depends on me
I am responsible for ensuring that our love remains strong and fulfilling.
If love, if love could sign a dotted line
If love were a contract, it would be easy to see that my partner and I are meant to be together.
It would surely fine your name next to mine
Our love is so strong that our names would be clearly paired together in any hypothetical love contract.
To be sure we keep the love we got
We must work hard to make sure that our love remains strong and fulfilling.
Just keep them kisses comin'
One of the most important ways we can keep our love strong is through regular acts of affection and intimacy.
It ain't hard, girl
Maintaining our love is not a difficult task because we have such a strong foundation and connection.
Contributed by Mason F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rev. Mary Newbern-Williams
What a classic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!! Junior Walker ruled the sax world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sheila Palmer
He was amazing
sunshine33rays
The most underrated saxophonist of all times in my eyes.
Richard Richard
Nutten wrong wit your eyes!! :)
Tanya Johnson
Junior Walker was without a doubt one of the greatest ever
Dineene OConnor
Back in the day when JR came on the radio, we would stop the car, turn up the radio, jump out of the car and dance in the street until the song was over. We just missed the cops a number of times. Love it!!!!
Deb Majors
Love Jr. Walker & the All Stars! My dad played the sax, so I have a special affinity for that sound, and Jr. Walker is one of the best! Love all of his songs, and this is one of my faves.
chris rochdale
Im white, British, in my 60s and this tune along with everything else Junior Walker recorded still gives me goosebumps. Thank you Black America for giving us Soul music, the greatest ever form of art.
Deborah Scott
You are very welcome. Thank you for being an intune connection across the pond.
Roots Rock
Muzic has no colour just SOUL ma brother! One love.